My Lady of the North

the lesson their mirror tells. But even as I gazed upon her, my admiration deeper than my pain, the arch expression of her face changed;

t conquering all prejudice, "you are badly hurt and bl

o not believe my injury sufficiently serious to cause alarm, but I find I ha

within her eyes was

he voice, although at the thought her face paled. "I have been in the hospitals at

lity of having to go forth into the nig

for from where I leaned against the wall I could see out int

earing a resolute air of authority, knelt beside me, and with rapid fingers flung back my jacket,

the wound by drying blood, so that in spite of her soft touc

can never dress it in this way. We must remove y

dealing with it, and the perspiration stood in beads upon my forehead as she worked quickly and with skill. At last the disagreeable

xclaimed, almost sobbing. "How tha

poke the truth, "but I confess the pain is intense, and makes me feel somewhat faint. It was not so m

ld wo

ttysburg, and although the bullet was ext

ation, but a growing reserve put check upon what was fast becoming the intimacy of friendship. Yet she performed her disagreeable task with all the tenderness of a sympathetic woman, and as she worked swiftly and deftly, made no attempt to conceal the tears clinging to

ed to thank her. "Here, put your head on this cloak. But first it will

ke first, for I know you require the stimulant as much as I," I retorted doggedly

not answer, but when she handed it back t

e, the daylight is already here, and I mean to discover if this lone cabin con

will not be wholly vain. To my eye that greatly re

and I feel as a shipwrecked seam

est. As she worked, the reflection of the red flames became mingled with the gray dawn, until the bare and cheerless interior grew more and more visible. Her search was far from unsuccessful, while her resourcefulness astonished me, old campaigner as I was; for it was scarcely more than full dayl

not easily embarrassed in feminine society, I felt in this instance a definite barrier between us, which prevented my feeling at ease. Now and then as we sat opposite each other, eating amid a

reatly worried by this time over

ft her eyes from the plate. "Yes," she answered slowly,

r relationships. "You forget, possibly, that your friends are strange

r Brenna

thing, however, was reasonably certain,-the man she called "Frank" could not be her father. I

al hospitals at Baltimore?" I questioned, more to c

sy. Major Brennan was stationed there for some time when I first visit

eing an agreeable task to

the constant sight of so much misery one was unable to relieve. Besides, that was nearly a year

ou were permitted t

risk of contracting disease. But I generally have my own way, even with him, and

ocent question which should solve for me the problem

conduct last night. I am very sure now that you are a gentleman, and will ap

ould tell by her downcast eyes and heaving boso

"Rather such a request should come from me. I only trust, Miss Brenn

plate, her fingers nervously

am," she said slowly. "I am

cold water had been sud

said. "You appear so young a girl that I neve

ly; indeed, before I wa

conjecture, for a quick change in th

my feet, and glancing over my shoulder to

e coat hanging yonder," she explained in low

where it hung was blank. I struck it here and there with the steel hilt of my sabre, but it returned a

eing in it makes my flesh creep. It may have been a den of

an a shadow," I said, crossing to her side of the table, to enable her better to feel the influence of my presence. "Let

thrown back noisily, and two great shaggy dogs, the evident mates of the dead brute at our feet, leaped fiercely in. She shrank toward me

ies Red Murdoch, stark and stiff!'-down, you

clubbing the frenzied brutes with th

ock, glen, and cavern paid them back.' Them thar be Scott's words, stranger, an' I reckon as how ol' Sir Walter kn

the rebellious beasts back into one corner, where

ath, and speed,'" he exclaimed, wiping the perspiration from his fac

nd head as oddly peak-shaped as I ever looked upon. It went up exactly like the apex of a pear, while the upper portion was utterly

," he said, a half-angry tone lurking in his deep voice. "'The fleetest hound in all the North

little man unceremoniously by one arm, and thrusting him roughly to one side strode he

and a killin' a dorg, an' a eatin' up everything we uns got without so much as a sayin' '

o laugh, but an earnest desire to placate the irate female, who was evidently the r

lly for any damage done. I am an officer in the Confederate service, and the breaking down of our horses compelled us to take refuge here in order that

vy bay resounded up the rocky way,"

rned back to us, and from her first words it was plainly evident sh

fer whut ye et and fer thet truc

ey from my pocket as evidence of good f

ile she permitted her husband to edge h

'bout four bits 'ill squar' things-dorg

threat could e'er divide,'" he protested. "Not that

crept subdued back into his corner. The inc

an' ye've got more measly, flea-bit dorgs 'round yere now then ye kin ever

on one foot, and cocked up his e

r ain't Scott, Cap, but I reckon it's out of another book mighty nigh es good. Hes you uns got all ther victuals ye want? 'He

n her eyes led me to say heartily, "We had not enti

n thy lady call, and enter the enchanted hall!' Wus ther ghos

odd

er see who wus yere afore we come in. 'I'll listen till my fancy hears the clang of swords, the crash of spears.' These yer

ffed cont

ow you sit down thar an' begin ter fill up. I reckon as how

o collapse beneath him as he came down, but the little man, not in t

own an' share a soldier's couch, a soldier's fare.' Not as I'm a sojer," he hastened to explain, "but thet's how it

Brennan to draw her chair once more t

curious to know upon which side his sy

is shrewd, shifty eyes wandered to the blue

s they come snoopin' up yere, an' run off all my horgs; then ther blame blue-bellies come 'long an' cut down every lick o' my corn fodder, so thet I'll b

rded him s

out, I s

hum much o' ther time, long with that thar Red Lowrie,

ty thick now in

y eyes on my face, and Maria turned a

thar 's no great shakes of 'em jist 'round yere. I reckon as how they knows 'nough

o fear of t

ight, and glared fiercely across the ta

night an' day in these yere mountings

orn swain in

d for the a

il before

chieftain a

ose 'round yere 'less he 's a lookin' fer sudden death; thar's mighty few o'

t in my chair one of the great dogs began to growl savagely, and Mar

s not it's Red's gang. Now, Jed Bungay, ye

ward us on foot a small party of perhaps a dozen men, so variously clothed as to make it evident they were irregulars. Just ahead of them, but on horse